WRITER’S GUILD OF GREAT BRITAIN AWARD for “BEST WRITING IN A VIDEOGAME 2017”

Hi, I’m Luke, the Videogames Chair for Writer’s Guild of Great Britain. Without a doubt 2016 was a particularly strong year for British videogame writing, providing the videogames committee and guest judges with an extensive and diverse number of titles to consider for the shortlist. I would like to congratulate and thank everyone involved with making the videogames on our rather long longlist, and also offer a very special thank you to the team arranging the award event.

THE NOMINEES:

Jonathan Burroughs, Lyndon Holland and Terry Kenny

for

VIRGINIA (WINNER)

This masterfully written piece underlines the value of writers in the videogame industry and propels the medium forward. The seeded mystery, which the game blooms from, is convincingly depicted through an exceptional narrative, with many aspects to consider, made possible by a well designed and executed script. Deeper exploration is rewarded with nuances of gesture, description, characterisation, and a subtle theme about trying to break the glass ceiling.

Matthew Turner, Martin Korda and Tom Watt…

for

FIFA 17: THE JOURNEY (SHORTLISTED)

The beautiful game is abundant with diverse stories waiting to be told, and we commend EA for tackling this so well. The writers skilfully crafted an authentic, contemporary setting with a rich cast and refreshing theme. Seldom gamified aspects of the world of football elevate the narrative and teem with possibilities. This dramatic shot has made football videogames accessible to new fans who support emotive storytelling. The future is bright for this kind of journey, and it deserves to resonate within the industry.

Mata Haggis

for

Fragments of Him – (SHORTLISTED)

Another title that examines the definition of “videogame” with a thoughtfully paced story driving simple interactivity. The experience felt like a cathartic outpouring of the writer’s consciousness, complemented by other assets. An apparently hollow shell echoes with emotive beats and organic subject matter, supported by keen visual storytelling. The love was deep, the loss raw and the narrative lingered in the memory.

A special thank you to the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain’s Videogame Committee without which this award would have been far more difficult to arrange – Andy Walsh, Morris Stuttard, George Poles, Giles Armstrong, David Varela, Paul Monk, Jimmy O’Ready, Steve Ince, Ian Thomas and Dan Pinchbeck.